Warner Bros. is intent on reestablishing the Looney Tunes brand in the marketplace. These efforts include theatrical shorts, a show on Cartoon Network, a live-action/CGI Bugs Bunny movie, and a seemingly ill-advised Mike Myers-voiced Pepé Le Pew film. The latest project is also the most tangential, in that borrows from the Looney Tunes universe without featuring any of the, you know, characters.
The untitled live-action/CGI hybrid revolves around the fictional Acme Corporation. As you may recall, Acme Corp. produced a slew of shoddy products --- anvils, bombs, rockets, and the like. Looney Tunes is not the exclusive domain of the Acme brand name, but it is certainly the most prominent, notably in the Wile E. Coyote/Roadrunner shorts. Hit the jump for more details on the project and a look at the Acme catalogue.
Kevin and Dan Hageman pitched the idea to build a feature around the Acme warehouse, which Warner Bros. promptly purchased for six figures. The studio hopes to launch a franchise with the film --- one with a longer warranty than you average Acme product. Heat Vision provides this logline:
"The plan is to make a live-action CG hybrid featuring the many outlandish devices of the company in a tone that recalls the Amblin pics of the 1980s or a Men in Black-style movie."
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I don't precisely know what that means, particularly the Amblin comparison. But there was plenty of amusing gadgetry in Men in Black. So how would you like to see Noisy Cricket: The Movie?
Except Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones don't make an appearance.
I kid. I'm actually really intrigued by this idea. I'm not sure why the pitch omitted all of the classic Looney Tunes characters (some esoteric licensing matter?), so we might as well presume it's a purely creative decision until contradicted. I have no idea what this movie will be, which means it could be something great.
(Although, I should note that I adore Space Jam, so I'm more malleable than most. It's really too bad that Michael Jordan retired from acting at the top of his game to go play basketball.)
In the meantime, here is an overview on some of the products Acme has put out into the marketplace with over the years with a recklessly subpar quality control department. Via The Original Illustrated Catalog Of ACME Products:
Acme Instant Girl
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Acme Giant Rubber Band (For Tripping Road-Runners)
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Acme Earthquake Pills
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Acme Jet-Propelled Pogo Stick
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Acme Do-It Yourself Tornado Kit
Find more Acme products here.